Tag: Meditation

In August of 2015, I started a fitness and nutrition blog because I wanted to share the knowledge I had learned in this area. I wrote for that blog for about a year and I felt limited because all my posts had to be about fitness or nutrition. I then decided to change the name of my blog so that I could write about more topics. I then changed the name to My Happier Place blog and included pretty much anything that was healthy, positive and happy. So what does all that have to do with making jewelry?

In February of 2017, I wrote a blog about starting a yoga journey because I really did want to start one. I had heard nothing, but good things about doing yoga. Meditation goes hand in hand with yoga so I started researching that topic too. I found a wonderful yogi on YouTube, Yoga with Adriene. I also found lots of great meditation tips, mantras and affirmations. One of the things I read about with meditation was something called a mala. It is a necklace-type prop that is used by many people who meditate. This intrigued me.

While getting information about malas, and searching for one that I liked, I also began studying healing crystals. I had always been fascinated by their uses and beauty, but never searched for or purchased any. Once I put together the healing crystals and the malas, I realized….I want to make these. I want to pick very specific stones for their particular healing qualities and I want to make one for myself.

What I had learned about malas were several specific things. First, they have a guru bead or teacher bead in the center, which is the stone that is the leader of the mala. Second, there are 108 smaller beads around the mala. There are many theories as to what they represent, and one of those theories is that “there are 108 lines of energy that converge to form the heart chakra, with one of those lines leading to the crown chakra and self-realization” (www.healyourlife.com/the-meaning-and-history-of-mala-beads ) Third, there are 3 larger counter beads at intervals throughout the mala to help keep track of the beads when you are meditating. Fourth, there should be a knot between each bead to help manipulate the beads when you are meditating AND if it were to break, all the beads wouldn’t go rolling onto the floor.

To use a mala, you sit in a meditation position with the mala in your hand. You decide on a mantra that you want to use during your meditation. For each bead, you say the mantra and then move to the next bead until you have done all 108. There are also tools called mala counters, or bum counters, which slide over the beads and you can use these to manipulate the beads also.

Many people wear these as jewelry because they are so beautiful. I love the meanings behind the mala and the healing qualities of the crystals/stones. A mala can do double duty as an accessory and a sacred, spiritual focal point. Please visit my Etsy shop at www.etsy.com/shop/beadhappinessbykim and my blog, where I discuss crystals, meditation and yoga, at www.myhappierplaceblog.com